Avolites, the global lighting and video control company, has provided its lighting control solutions to LIT Lighting, enabling a series of live-streamed, full-production concerts to take place.
Avolites has provided lighting control solutions to LIT Lighting, a Pheonix based company which has adapted to the challenges of COVID-19 by establishing LIT Live. With the entertainment industry coming to a standstill as a result of the pandemic, Chris Brodman and Cody Lisle, the principals of LIT Lighting, pivoted to put on a series of live-streamed concerts, allowing their staff and clients to continue putting on shows in a COVID-safe environment.
The pair created LIT Live, converting part of their warehouse into a studio with a 40×30-foot fully-equipped audiovisual stage. Here, shows are performed and streamed via TwitchTV, Facebook, and YouTube. Since March 2020, LIT Live has live-streamed performances from dozens of acts, with some being free-to-all and others being private ticked events.
Avolites helps the show go on
The shows feature full production elements with over 130 fixtures, including spots, washes, blinders, bars, and other formats. Much of these are flown from 30-foot spans of truss at FOH, midstage and upstage, and there are also ladder and boom towers flanking the stage on three sides.
Powering this set-up is an Avolites Tiger Touch II lighting console, running Titan v13 software, occasionally paired with a Titan Mobile Wing for additional handles and control.
“The Tiger Touch II was our first choice of console for this project because of its ease of use and compact size as well as its processing power and Keyframe effects engine,” says LIT Lighting LD James Simpson.
“The Tiger’s ease of use allows us to have lighting designers of all skill levels come in and educate themselves in a time where virtually no other opportunities to do so are available. The lighting rig we are using is highly dependent on multi-cell fixtures; therefore, the Tiger was the obvious choice because of its superior ability to handle and program high-quality effects for those fixture types.
“Plus, we appreciate the console’s ability to easily drive upwards of 20 universes of DMX over streaming sACN to our racks of nodes.”
Producing the best shows possible
Some of the visiting LDs have busked their shows on the Avolites console, while others have set up cues.
“Our LDs are utilizing the built-in Visualizer to PreVis their shows from home, but the choice to busk or cue list is highly dependent on the amount of time available to program before the set,” says LIT Lighting LD Cullen Noon.
“Some of our clients have been booked far in advance and others are very last-minute. We always want to produce the best shows possible, so when we have the time, we prefer to cue list. The Titan software allows us the versatility to do both but is superior in that the time it takes to put together a busk show is much less than other manufacturer’s consoles.
“The ability of the Titan software to create organized and intricate cue lists as well as its tracking system allows us to create the cleanest possible show for our viewers.”
Quality live shows
The majority of the proceeds from LIT Live have gone to the employees and industry organizations, helping in a time of crisis.
“This whole experience has been very positive on all fronts: the artists love being able to play again, the crews continue to hone their skills, and the audiences get to enjoy watching and sometimes interacting with the bands,” says Lisle.
“We’ve gained a large following, in part due to the standards we set forth for ourselves and in the quality of our streams, and Avolites is a key ingredient of that formula.”
Brodman adds: “I and several of my longtime crew members grew up on Avolites while working for Creative Backstage, where we used Azures, Pearls, and Sapphires. The first Avolites console I purchased for LIT was the original Tiger Touch in 2011. We now own four Tigers, one Quartz, five Titan Mobiles, and four T2 systems, and have sent them on tours and shows around the world.
“Avolites has always been our ‘go-to’ for reliable hardware, software, and impeccable customer service, and they’ve really helped grow LIT Lighting into who we are today and where we’re heading for tomorrow.”
In October, Avolites released the latest version of its lighting software platform, Titan v14. Earlier this year, the Avolites team also spoke to blooloop about the company’s history, as well as its powerful new Q Series Media Servers and groundbreaking Synergy software.
